Hmm yeah sorry I got a bit carried away. That's what happens when you spend all your working time in a group of 60 people working on the same topic, it becomes second nature to talk in terms of numbers etc. If you are interested...
802.11 - you MUST have heard of this- it's the wireless networking standard specified by the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) which EVERYONE uses for their home wireless networking.
Bluetooth - You know, bluetooth mice, headphone printers, keyboards etc. - for ranges of up to 10m
GSM - The mobile phone network - sorry cellular phone nework for you
UMTS = Universal Mobile Telecommunications Standard (IIRC!) - the faster newer mobile phone standard being introduced in Europe (America has something else can't remember what it's called) - this is 3rd generation stuff, cos 2nd generation is what most people use now (GSM) and 1st generation was the old analogue mobile phones (the big bricks with huge antennas use by a few businessmen).
802.15.x - where x is a number - a set of standards defining other networking technologies.
I think in about ten years at the most 802.15.4 will be well-known in sensor networks - networks of little things monitoring weather, chemical processes in factories, you name it - and all connected to the internet. You'll be able to log onto the net and find out what the temperature is exactly at any place you fancy (real time) or find the water depth of a river etc.
I love being in research - you find out what everyone else will be using years before they use it
